A bipartisan group of American senators intends to take advantage of the NATO summit in Ankara to request the unblocking of the project regarding the “infernal” sanctions against Russia, writes The Wall Street Journal.
According to the publication, the senators are set to discuss the subject directly with the US Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, at a closed-door dinner, organized on the evening of July 7.
The initiative drafted by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and Democrat Richard Blumenthal would grant President Donald Trump the right to impose customs duties of up to 500% on imports from countries that purchase oil, gas, or uranium from Russia, as well as secondary sanctions against them.
The project already enjoys support in the Senate, but has been effectively blocked by the White House. The Trump administration is asking for some provisions to be softened in order to maintain its freedom of maneuver in potential peace negotiations with Moscow.
The senators will also call for the cessation of temporary exceptions granted for Russian oil imports. According to the WSJ, the American Treasury has offered three 30-day waivers amid the war in Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The last of these expired in June.
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